Road scraper



April 27, 1937. E. B. MALOON ROAD scRA'PER 2 SheetS- -Shet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1935' ATTORNEY April 27, 1937.

1-:v MALOON ROAD SCRAPER Filed Oct. 16, 1935 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1937 PATENT OFFICE ROAD SCRAPER Earl n. Maloon, Milwaukee, wia, assignol' to The Hell 00., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 16, 1935, Serial No. 45,181

The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of scraping, grading and excavating, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of machines for leveling ground for road building and similar purposes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple scraper which is capable of simultaneously leveling the ground and of removing excess earth and rock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact and durable grading machine having large capacity, and which is quickly and conveniently convertible from a scraper into a dirt 5 cal'rler.

A further object of the invention is to provide a scraper assembly of the dig and carry type, which is operablegmost effectively with the aid of simple hydraulic jacks or other power mechanism.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide new and useful mechanism for raising and lowering the cutting edge of a scraper or the like, so as to permit this edge to be brought into or to be withdrawn from scraping position, in a most effective manner.

An additional specific object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for the blade or bowl of a road scraper or the like, and .means for rapidly and effectively varying the depth of cutting.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description; and some of the novel features of scraper frame construction illustrated but not specifically claimed herein, form the subject of my copending aggrlication Serial No. 43,137, filed October 2,

A clear conception of one embodiment of the 40 presentjnvention, and of the mode of constructing and of manipulating scraping mechanisms built in accordance with the improvement, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification 5 wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of one of the improved road scrapers;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through 50 the scraper, showing the parts in digging or scraping position;

Fig. 3 is a similar section through the improved machine, showing the parts in carrying position; and

55 Fig. 4 is another similar section through the assemblage, showing the parts in load dumping position.

While the invention has been shown herein as being specifically applied to a road scraper adapted to both dig and transport material, it is not intended to unnecessarily restrict the scope by such specific embodiment, since some of the novel features are deemed to be more generally applicable to other types of grading mechanisms.

Referring to the drawings, the road scraper specifically shown therein comprises in general, a scraper or cutting blade 6 secured to the lower edge of a rear wall I, which is rigidly attached to opposite side walls 8 to form a main scoop or semi-bowl; a front transverse beam 9 rigidly attached to the forward upper ends of the walls 8 and having an integral central fulcrum arm l8 provided with a lower pivot ball II; a draft carriage I 2 having supporting wheels I3 and providing a pivotal support for the ball I I; a trailer carriage l4 disposed in back of the scoop wall 8 and having supporting wheels l5; main toggle links 16 swingably supported upon end pivots I] carried by the carriage l4 and having their forward ends pivotally attached to the rear lower portions of. the side walls 8 by means of alined pivot pins I 8; a front scoop-like apron l9 swingably suspended from the upper medial'portions of the side wall 8 by alined pivots 20; and hydraulic jacks 2|, 22 for actuating the semi-bowl and the apron l8 respectively.

The rear wall I of the semi-bowl is preferably curved as shown, and is reenforced by a transrearwardly therefrom, a set of central cars 25 projecting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and opposite end bearing cars 26 projecting upwardly therefrom; these ears 24, 25, 26 being either formed integral with or rigidly attached to the plate 23 as by welding. The side walls 8 are preferably formed of stiff and durable plate, and the front ends of these walls may be rigidly secured to the ends of the tubular beam 9 by welding, while the fulcrum arm in may be likewise attached to the beam 9. The pivot ball H coacts with a socket 21 carried by the draft carriage l2, and the latter may be provided with a draw bar 28 for effecting attachment of the scraper to a tractor or other pulling vehicle.

The trailer carriage l4 comprises a transverse beam having spaced ears 29 rigidly attached thereto, and the links l6 which are swingable upon the rear carriage pivots II, are preferably of relatively heavy and strong construction. The hydraulic jack 2| for raising and lowering the scraper blade 6, has its cylinder pivotally attached to the ears 29 of the trailer carriage I4, by means of trunnions 38, and the upper end of the piston rod 3| of the jack 2| is pivotally connected to the ears 25 by a pivot pin 32. Movement of the piston rod 3| will obviously cause the scraper blade 6 to move either toward or away from the ground; the scraper scoop swinging about the pivot ball H and the links l6 swinging about their pivots I'I, while the scoop and the links l6 swing relative to each other about the pivot pins 8, during such movement of the piston rod 3|.

The hydraulic jack 22 for lifting and lowering the apron I9 away from and toward the cutting edge or blade 6 about the alined pivots 20, has its cylinder pivotally attached to the ears 24 by means of trunnions 33; and the upper end of the piston rod 34 of the jack 22 is connected to the swinging end of a set of levers 35 by a pivot pin 36. The levers 35 are mounted upon a transverse pivot shaft 31 which is journaled in the upper bearing ears 26 of the rear plate 23, and other levers 38 are secured to the opposite ends of the shaft 31. The swinging ends of the levers 38 are pivotally attached to the rear ends of side links 39 by pivot pins 40, and the front ends of the links 39 are likewise attached by pivot pins 42 to the swinging ends of arms 4| which are secured to the alined apron supporting pivots 2|). With this assemblage of elements, it will be apparent that upward and downward motion of the piston rod 34 will be transmitted through the levers 35, shaft 37, levers 38, links I 39, arms 4|, and pivots 20, to cause the apron I! to move respectively toward and away from the scraper blade 6. The apron l9 has side walls 43 which are swingable in close proximity to the inner surfaces of the side walls 8, and also has a cutting blade 44 which is cooperable with the scraper blade 6; and this apron I9 is preferably shaped like a scoop in order to facilitate carrying of the load. v

The hydraulic jacks 2|, 22 are preferably of the double-acting type wherein liquid such as oil admitted below the pistons will positively raise the latter, while admission of oil above the pistons will lower the, same. The oil may be admitted to and delivered from the lower displacement chambers of these jacks 2|, 22 through pipes 45, 46, and may be admitted to and de-: livered from the upper displacement chambers through pipes 41, 48 respectively. The oil circulating and control mechanisms form no part of the present invention and have been omitted from the present disclosure for the sake of clearness; but these mechanisms may be carried by the trailer carriage l4 and may be of the improved type shown in my copending application Serial No. 43,812, filed October 7, 1935.

During normal operation of the improved machine for digging and subsequent carrying purposes, the scraper blade 6 and the apron l9 may be positioned substantially as shown in Fig. 2 by the jacks 2|, 22, and are maintained in such position by these jacks. As the blade 6 is forced along the ground by the pulling vehicle attached to the draw-bar 28, the blade 6 splits and cuts the material loose, and the loosened earth and rocks are urged upwardly along the curved rear wall 1 and subsequently build up high against this wall. Some of the upper materlal ultimately cascades forwardly into the scoop-shaped apron l8 and thus partially fills the latter. Depending upon the nature of the soil, the material may even build up to a height considerably above the side walls 8, 43, since the carrying compartment is entirely free from obstruction at the top. when a sufllcient quantity of material has thus been forced into the carrying space, the jacks 2|, 22 may be actuated to lower the apron I! and to elevate the cutting blade 6, these actions taking place either simultaneously or in rapid succession.

The charge of material is thus confined within the apron l9, and the elevating movement of the cutting blade 6 may be continued until the elements have assumed carrying position as shown in Fig. 3. The unit may then'be transported from place to place without danger oi spilling any of the charge, the major portion of which rests within the apron I9, and subsequent .unloading may readily be eifected by actuating the jack 22 so as to raise the apron I9 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Upon raising of the apron I9, the material will drop by gravity over the apron blade 44 and will be deposited upon the ground along the path of travel of the scraper.

In case the unit is to be used solely as a scraper, the blade 6 is not lowered into the ground quite as deeply as when used for digging purposes, and the front apron I9 is then raised to its extreme position so as not to confine any of the material. The equipment may thus be used interchangeably either as a simple scraper or trailbuilder, or as a dig and carry unit, at the will of the operator who may make such con- 4:

version merely by operating the jacks 2|, 22.

From the foregoing description, it will be ap parent that the present invention provides an extremely simple, compact and durable grader assembly which can be used either as a scraper alone, or as a combined digging and transporting outfit. The unit has great capacity considering the space occupied, and can be readily manipulated and actuated with minimum power. The frame structure which carries the scraping blade 6, obviously cooperates with the side links I6 to produce an effective toggle action, and by locating the blade 6 ator near the central pivot of the toggle, the movement of the cutting edge is confined substantially to a vertical plane. Such action is advantageous and desirable because it relieves thecutting blade 6' of lateral pressures when being applied to or withdrawn from the cut. The scoop-like formation of the front apron I9 is also desirable since it is this structure that permits use of the unit for the dual purposes of scraping alone, and of carrying a load. The improved toggle assemblage may however be used to advantage, even if the front apron 9 is omitted, and the jacks 2|, 22 provide simple and compact means for quickly and conveniently actuating both the blade 6 and the apron I9. The improved scraper may be built and operated at extremely moderate cost, and besides being very durable in construction, presents a neat and attractive appearance.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the present invention to the exact details of construction and'to the precise mode of operation, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:-

1. In a road scraper, a transportable frame, a

substantially upright blade having a lower scraping edge cooperable with the ground and being supported by said frame for substantially vertical movement toward and away from the ground, and a front apron pivotally suspended from said frame near the upper end of said blade and having a bottom swingable about the suspension pivot toward and away. from said blade edge and also having integral side and front walls cooperable with said blade to confine material upon said bottom when the latter is swung toward said edge.

2. In a road scraper, a swingably suspended transportable frame, a substantially upright slightly vertically curved blade having a lower scraping edge cooperable with the ground and being supported by said frame for substantially vertical movement toward and away from the ground. and a front load confining apron pivotally suspended from said frame directly adjacent to the upper end of said blade and having a bottom swingable about the suspension pivot toward and away from said blade edge, and also having integral side and front walls cooperable with said curved blade to confine material upon said bottom when the latter is positioned near said edge.

3. In a road scraper,. a transportable frame swingable about its front end, a substantially upright blade rigidly attached to the rear end of said frame and having a lower scraping edge cooperable with the ground, links swingable about their rear ends and having their front ends pivotally attached to said frame near said edge. means for relatively swinging said frame and said links to move said scraping edge toward and away from the ground in a substantially vertical plane, and a front apron pivotally suspended from said frame near the upper end of said blade and having a bottom swingable about the suspension pivot toward and away from said blade edge and also having integral side and front walls cooperable with said blade to confine material upon said bottom when the latter is swung toward said edge.

4. In a road scraper, a transportable frame swingable about its front end and having integral rearwardly extending opposite side plates, a substantially upright blade formed integral with the rear ends of said side plates and having a lower scraping edge cooperable with the ground, means for moving said frame to elevate and lower said scraping edge, and a front load confining apron pivotally suspended from said side plates directly adjacent to the upper end of said blade and having a bottom swingable about the suspension pivot toward and away from said blade edge, said apron also having integral side walls slidably cooperable with said side plates and a front wall connecting said side walls and cooperable with said side plates and with said blade to confine material upon said bottom when the latter is positioned near said scraping edge.

5. In a road scraper, a transportable frame swingable about its front end and having integral rearwardly extending opposite side plates, a substantially upright blade formed integral with the rear ends of said side plates and having a lower scraping edge cooperating with the ground, links swingable about their rear ends and having their front ends pivotally attached to said frame near said edge, means for relatively swinging said frame and said links to move said scraping edge toward and away from the ground in a substantially vertical plane, and a front load confining apron pivotally suspended from said side plates directly adjacent to the upper end of said blade and having a bottom swingable about the suspension pivot toward and away from said blade edge, said apron also having integral side walls slidably cooperable with said side plates and a front wall connecting said side walls and cooperable with said side plates and with said blade to confine material upon said bottom when the latter is positioned near said scraping edge.

EARL B. MALOON. 

